I’ve long been in awe of @isabellaboylston , a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre. Having her dance on set was spectacular. Even as we designed this capsule I had imagined someone as powerful as her bringing it to life. It was essential for me to cast ballerinas from the ABT because of my serendipitous encounter with the company in 2015, which eventually led me to Isabella. In early 2015, I lost my first fashion brand, Wildfox, to a bad partner and an even worse contract that enabled him to push me out of my own business, leaving me with nothing. I had begun conceptualizing Selkie even before this tumultuous conclusion (though Selkie was unnamed at the time), and after several months, with modest savings and my photography skills keeping me afloat, I embarked on a journey: seeking an investor—specifically, a woman. Call after call after call, I was finally connected with someone. Sharon, who served on the American Ballet Theatre’s board of directors, gave me hope during my darkness. She planned to visit California, inviting me to meet her for the first time where I would join her for a ballet at the Segerstrom Center. That night I drove alone for an hour on the 5 freeway, practicing my pitch with my Selkie deck in the backseat. It was a cold night and we talked in her hotel room for an hour before the show. We mingled in an upstairs room where she introduced me to her ballet friends, kindly exclaiming how talented I was. It was bittersweet, she was lovely, kind, and brilliant, but I had a strong feeling this wouldn’t end in a partnership. As I watched the powerful performance I suddenly had to hold back tears—grieving for all I had lost and hopeful for all that lay ahead. Though Sharon decided not to invest, she transformed my life in a completely unexpected way, she showed me what could be. That I might just get this brand off the ground. This positive mindset would kickstart a four-year long journey into launching Selkie. Like ballet, fashion has duality. Isabella’s sharp attention to detail and intelligent perfectionism reminded me so much of my own. I will always hold this day with her close to my heart.